Lexi Love Vs Lexi Love: Drag Race Star Hit With Trademark Claims
Image: Image: Composite - X(Twitter)/World Of Wonder
The RuPaul’s Drag Race season seventeen finalist who has been using the stage name Lexi Love has found herself caught up in a legal dispute concerning trademark infringement.
This week, Lexi Love — an actor, musician, producer, and social justice activist — has laid claims to the name, citing ownership of the trademark.
Now the Drag Race star, who uses the same name, is seeing her work being removed across multiple platforms in response.
Lexi Love Vs Lexi Love
The Drag Race star, whose legal name is Clair Barnes, shot to fame on season seventeen, with fans falling in love with her raw and honest storytelling on the show.
She took herself all the way to the finals of the competition, which was ultimately won by Onya Nerve.
Since then she has continued to use the name Lexi Love as she performs, tours and releases music.
This week, actress Selena Scola has come forward alleging she has legal rights over the name, and has taken to social media in a very determined campaign.
In an extensive number of posts, Scola has been tagging and calling out World Of Wonder, Rupaul, MTV and Paramount+ for featuring the Drag Race star.
“For absolute clarity: I was not a contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race” she wrote online.
“I am not transgender. I am not a person living with HIV. I am not a person who was formerly unhoused. I have never been trafficked in the sex market. I am not suffering from drug addiction, nor have I ever attended rehab for drug addiction,” she continued.
“These personal disclosures were made publicly by the contestant while using my name in commerce without consent.”
📢 Clarification Regarding Misidentification & Trademark Infringement
The RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 contestant using the name “Lexi Love” on Paramount+ / MTV / World of Wonder platforms is not me. Use of my name by RuPaul’s Drag Race, contestant Barnes, and affiliated… pic.twitter.com/EXOnv4EyaU
— Lexi Love ™ 🧠🤖😻 (@LexiLove) August 8, 2025
Scola says the name “has been my federally registered trademark for 20 years, upheld by the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2009. Defending it is not about tearing down queer artists — it is about protecting my livelihood and identity from misappropriation.”
She also says that federally registered trademark “constitutes willful infringement under the Lanham Act”, and that “commercial exploitation by large corporations (Paramount, World of Wonder, MTV) creates statutory liability, not merely “personal conflict”.”
In response, Barnes has posted on her Instagram account @mslexilove to advise her fans of the situation.
“Due to recent trademark allegations by Selena Scola aka “Lexi Love” I do not know if my accounts will remain active, unfortunately, so be warned!” she wrote.
“If you noticed my music removed from Spotify and iTunes; this is also why, stay tuned…”
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Fans have jumped to the defence of the Drag Race star. On social media, some claimed that the trademark on the name had lapsed and been reinstated.
Scola reached out to Star Observer to say that this is not true, and that the Lexi Love® mark has “been in continuous commercial use since 2004”.
Clair Barnes says career is starting to suffer as a result
Speaking to Deadline this weekend the Drag Race queen revealed that on top of her music being removed, her career is already starting to suffer as a result.
“I’ve had three venues pull out because she is sending them also cease and desist emails,” she told the publication.
“She made a post speaking negatively about my trials and tribulations I opened up about on the show, including my HIV.”
Barnes said that she has attempted to make contact with Scola to resolve the issue, but has not been able to reach a consensus.
“My team reached out and have had no return communication from her, and she just keeps reporting my accounts. I offered a licensing agreement, terms, anything, and she is just continuing to attack online,” she said.
For now the issue is unresolved.
Barnes is currently schedule to appear in Australia for the Sparkles, Love and Star tour this week.
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CORRECTION NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
After publishing, Scola reached out to Star Observer with corrections to this story. Please note:
Star Observer originally referred to Scola as an adult film star. This has been removed, as per Scola’s request. Scola is a “SAG-AFTRA actor (since 2015), musician, producer, and awarded social justice activist”.
Star Observer originally included details about social media posts which alleged the trademark had lapsed, and was reinstated after season seventeen of RuPaul’s Drag Race. This has amended to remove details these social media posts alleged. Scola told Star Observer the Lexi Love® mark (USPTO Reg. No. 7,727,806) has “been in continuous commercial use since 2004”, and “was reaffirmed with the USPTO and remains current (USPTO Record – Serial No. 86527687)”. This link and this link were provided by Scola.
Star Observer originally referred the ongoing posts between the two as a ‘bitter online battle’. This has been removed, as per Scola’s request, and changed to ‘a legal dispute concerning trademark infringement’. Star Observer has continued to include quotes from both parties — one of which includes the word ‘attack’ — for journalistic balance.
